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Last week in U.S. Thoroughbred and Quarterhorse races

Carol Marie “took a bad step…unfortunately perished on the track” at Belterra
Tricky Rose “went wrong…had to be euthanized” at Delaware
Gimme Goosebumps “appeared in distress, DNF” at Finger Lakes
Verrazano Vittoria “injured herself in the stating gate” at Parx
Credo “went bad, vanned off” at Parx
Dazzle Em Hickory “vanned off” at Prairie
Little Bean “vanned off” at Retama
Blues Story “vanned off” at Thistledown – subsequently confirmed dead
Nantan Lupan “bled, vanned off” at Albuquerque
Blame It On Mom “vanned off” at Belmont
Imaginethejoy “got unsaddled bleeding from the nostrils” at Delaware
Dispel “went wrong…had to be euthanized” at Delaware
She’s Flat Out “pulled up injured, vanned off” at Thistledown
Beltway “suffered an injury…euthanized” at Thistledown
Deft “fell…suffering a fatal injury” at Belmont
Blarp “went wrong, vanned off” at Delaware
Tastemaker “went wrong, vanned off” at Golden Gate
Perfect State “vanned off” at Gulfstream
Nyx Warrior “pulled up lame, vanned off” at Penn
Imperioso “hit gate, vanned off” at Belmont
Fashion Shot “went wrong, vanned off” at Belterra – subsequently confirmed dead
Cut Like Delaney “vanned off” at Charles Town
I Am Furh Real “vanned off” at Charles Town
Colonelsdarktemper “bled” at Churchill
Maru “vanned off” at Belmont
Rhode Island “vanned off” at Belmont
Lutsky “vanned off” at Belmont
Sweeping Edge “vanned off” at Canterbury
Tapalot “vanned off” at Emerald
Alteration “fell, vanned off” at Fairmount
Bash “went wrong, vanned off” at Parx
Thisbetterwork “vanned off” at Prairie
Whiskey Doctor “in distress, vanned off” at Remington
El Corazon “vanned off” at Gulfstream
Mexican Girl “vanned off” at Mountaineer
Burnout B “injured, hauled off” (yes, “hauled off”) at Will Rogers

“Vanned Off”: unable to walk off course under own power; many of these horses will resurface on my FOIA kill-reports

“Bled,” “Returned Bleeding From Nostrils”: usually indicates pulmonary hemorrhage

(source: Equibase)

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I have made inquiries into getting information on Canadian racetracks. In the meantime, this comes from the charts (Equibase) at Woodbine this past Sunday: 3-year-old Notice Me “vanned off” (after falling) in the 1st; 2-year-old Final Rhapsody “in distress, vanned off” in the 7th. Both, I have confirmed, were euthanized.

End horseracing. Now.

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Equibase’s account of the 4th at Belmont yesterday: “Deft…fell on the lead suffering a fatal injury…then was subsequently euthanized.” Deft was three years old. He is the 4th dead horse in the first week of Belmont’s fall meet – 26th there on the year. The lie of NYRA’s “demonstrably safer” racing laid bare, yet again.

In the 5th at Delaware Wednesday, 5-year-old Dispel “went wrong…and had to be euthanized.” This is the second “went wrong” kill on the Delaware week.

This is horseracing.

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The 3rd at Thistledown yesterday, as relayed by Equibase: “Beltway pressured the winner two wide while between horses for a half, suffered an injury…and was euthanized.” Beltway was five; ’twas his 33rd time under the whip.

The day before, same track (race 6): “Blues Story offered a bid two wide into the stretch, was outfinished, injured after the wire and vanned off.” In fact, I can confirm, he, too, is dead. Blues Story was seven and under the whip for the 32nd time.

The horseracing people have sold what they do as sport, and the horses athletes, for over 150 years. What do you suppose would happen, what would the public reaction be, if any other accepted sport on the planet suffered the death of two athletes at the same venue in back-to-back days? Please. Horseracing is a sport only to the willfully ignorant. (For perspective on how Racing compares – in terms of “tragedy” – to the four major U.S. sports, see this from last year.)